Looking back, what made Friends so popular? I remember watching it, but not being entrenched in it. But I was (and still am) 'that guy' who needs to find some self validation in 'not being 'in' to pop culture'.

kroonermanblack:Looking back, what made Friends so popular? I remember watching it, but not being entrenched in it. But I was (and still am) 'that guy' who needs to find some self validation in 'not being 'in' to pop culture'.

/swear I'm not a hipster//or as much an asshole as I used to be

Nipplin'. The only reason I can remember. It's urban dictionary, so your call on SFW.

kroonermanblack:Looking back, what made Friends so popular? I remember watching it, but not being entrenched in it. But I was (and still am) 'that guy' who needs to find some self validation in 'not being 'in' to pop culture'.

/swear I'm not a hipster//or as much an asshole as I used to be

Dunno. I remember Friends being hilarious back when I was a teen, or even in my early 20's. But now, if I watch it, it does not appear to have aged well.

kroonermanblack:Looking back, what made Friends so popular? I remember watching it, but not being entrenched in it. But I was (and still am) 'that guy' who needs to find some self validation in 'not being 'in' to pop culture'.

/swear I'm not a hipster//or as much an asshole as I used to be

Keep in mind that its target audience was basically 19-23 year olds who were living away from Mom & Dad for their first time. People feel the need to identify with sitcom characters (not that many of them would be functioning human beings in the real world), so there was an automatic new generation of fans every year, even though some of each previous years' fans stopped watching.

As to the show itself... It was kinda funny the first year, and hilarious the second and maybe the third. So people stuck with it when it started a slow decline, remembering how good it was and thinking it might recover. But the writing took a sharp downhill slide, and all six characters became inhuman caricatures based on their original subtle quirks. But word of mouth had spread from earlier fans, and now every moron with a free time slot was watching it and keeping its ratings high.

You can say it wasn't good. You can say it wasn't funny. You can say it wasn't entertaining. Those would all be opinions which are debatable. You can't say (and be correct) that it was never relevant.

As much as it is worthless Jersey Shore also was relevant. Relevance and quality are not the same thing. They can be, but they don't have to be, and often are not. Examples of things that are deemed to be of high quality, but were not relevant: Arrested Development, Firefly.

Relevant in this sense is linked to identity and acknowledgement in popular culture.

kroonermanblack:Looking back, what made Friends so popular? I remember watching it, but not being entrenched in it. But I was (and still am) 'that guy' who needs to find some self validation in 'not being 'in' to pop culture'.

/swear I'm not a hipster//or as much an asshole as I used to be

Upwardly mobile yuppies in New York were popular in the late 90s. It was like a Seinfeld for people who didn't understand the humor. Frasier slid right in between.

You can say it wasn't good. You can say it wasn't funny. You can say it wasn't entertaining. Those would all be opinions which are debatable. You can't say (and be correct) that it was never relevant.

As much as it is worthless Jersey Shore also was relevant. Relevance and quality are not the same thing. They can be, but they don't have to be, and often are not. Examples of things that are deemed to be of high quality, but were not relevant: Arrested Development, Firefly.

Relevant in this sense is linked to identity and acknowledgement in popular culture.

Props. You can't pretend that a major pillar of pop culture in a given era was irrelevant. The fact that we know bangs with a tapered back equals a 'Rachel' haircut, or that we get jokes based on Ross proves that it was, at the very least, relevant. While it may have described and detailed vapid and boring issues, those are the ones that appeal to the majority. Just look at Glee.

kroonermanblack:Looking back, what made Friends so popular? I remember watching it, but not being entrenched in it. But I was (and still am) 'that guy' who needs to find some self validation in 'not being 'in' to pop culture'.

/swear I'm not a hipster//or as much an asshole as I used to be

it was pretty funny for a few years, then it got schmaltzy. I stopped watching before the excellent paul rudd made his debut

You can say it wasn't good. You can say it wasn't funny. You can say it wasn't entertaining. Those would all be opinions which are debatable. You can't say (and be correct) that it was never relevant.

As much as it is worthless Jersey Shore also was relevant. Relevance and quality are not the same thing. They can be, but they don't have to be, and often are not. Examples of things that are deemed to be of high quality, but were not relevant: Arrested Development, Firefly.

Relevant in this sense is linked to identity and acknowledgement in popular culture.

Nope. Sorry. "popular" does not equal "relevant".

If the only example of societal influence you can give is a marginally popular hairstyle (I guess the other guy gave that example)... which has more to do with the actress than the show anyway... your argument doesn't hold up very well.

You can say it wasn't good. You can say it wasn't funny. You can say it wasn't entertaining. Those would all be opinions which are debatable. You can't say (and be correct) that it was never relevant.

As much as it is worthless Jersey Shore also was relevant. Relevance and quality are not the same thing. They can be, but they don't have to be, and often are not. Examples of things that are deemed to be of high quality, but were not relevant: Arrested Development, Firefly.

Relevant in this sense is linked to identity and acknowledgement in popular culture.

Nope. Sorry. "popular" does not equal "relevant".

If the only example of societal influence you can give is a marginally popular hairstyle (I guess the other guy gave that example)... which has more to do with the actress than the show anyway... your argument doesn't hold up very well.

You can say it wasn't good. You can say it wasn't funny. You can say it wasn't entertaining. Those would all be opinions which are debatable. You can't say (and be correct) that it was never relevant.

As much as it is worthless Jersey Shore also was relevant. Relevance and quality are not the same thing. They can be, but they don't have to be, and often are not. Examples of things that are deemed to be of high quality, but were not relevant: Arrested Development, Firefly.

Relevant in this sense is linked to identity and acknowledgement in popular culture.

Nope. Sorry. "popular" does not equal "relevant".

If the only example of societal influence you can give is a marginally popular hairstyle (I guess the other guy gave that example)... which has more to do with the actress than the show anyway... your argument doesn't hold up very well.

Well the hairstyle wasn't called "The Jennifer". Although maybe today it would be, since she's now one of the most famous women in the world thanks to that show. But the character was the one whose names people knew back then, not the actress.

You can say it wasn't good. You can say it wasn't funny. You can say it wasn't entertaining. Those would all be opinions which are debatable. You can't say (and be correct) that it was never relevant.

As much as it is worthless Jersey Shore also was relevant. Relevance and quality are not the same thing. They can be, but they don't have to be, and often are not. Examples of things that are deemed to be of high quality, but were not relevant: Arrested Development, Firefly.

Relevant in this sense is linked to identity and acknowledgement in popular culture.

What I never understood about that show was - how did these people afford to live in a NYC apartment that size (and that view), when one was a barista/waitress who refused money from her folks and the other was a constantly struggling chef? Chandler appeared to have some sort of legit job, and I guess Joey was paid union wage when he did get gigs, but their apartment was also tiny in comparison.

Eh, just something that always bothered me, even though I'm supposed to suspend realistic ideas when watching TV.

Speaking of which, where the fark did they all get the free time to gather at a coffee shop twice a day if they're busting so much ass to pay Manhattan rent on a line cook's (etc) salary?

dickfreckle:What I never understood about that show was - how did these people afford to live in a NYC apartment that size (and that view), when one was a barista/waitress who refused money from her folks and the other was a constantly struggling chef? Chandler appeared to have some sort of legit job, and I guess Joey was paid union wage when he did get gigs, but their apartment was also tiny in comparison.

Eh, just something that always bothered me, even though I'm supposed to suspend realistic ideas when watching TV.

It was a rent controlled apartment that used to belong to Monica's grandmother.

clkeagle:kroonermanblack: Looking back, what made Friends so popular? I remember watching it, but not being entrenched in it. But I was (and still am) 'that guy' who needs to find some self validation in 'not being 'in' to pop culture'.

/swear I'm not a hipster//or as much an asshole as I used to be

Keep in mind that its target audience was basically 19-23 year olds who were living away from Mom & Dad for their first time. People feel the need to identify with sitcom characters (not that many of them would be functioning human beings in the real world), so there was an automatic new generation of fans every year, even though some of each previous years' fans stopped watching.

As to the show itself... It was kinda funny the first year, and hilarious the second and maybe the third. So people stuck with it when it started a slow decline, remembering how good it was and thinking it might recover. But the writing took a sharp downhill slide, and all six characters became inhuman caricatures based on their original subtle quirks. But word of mouth had spread from earlier fans, and now every moron with a free time slot was watching it and keeping its ratings high.

You pretty much described the life cycle of all major sitcoms. Intentional?

litespeed74:I've honestly never seen an entire episode of Friends. It always seemed way to cutesy for me. Although everyone I know insists I go back and watch.

blah

it was never really "cutesy". it was on the whole standard sitcom stuff. Problems arise later when you can't just watch one episode here and there because of the ongoing story arcs, but the first few seasons are pretty much classic tv comedy. It also holds up visually better than say, Seinfeld, a show that while IS a show that you can watch just one episode from any season without worrying about ongoing arcs, sometimes looks as dated as an episode of 3's Company.

/love Seinfeld, but yes guys it DID date, sometimes horribly. Elaine is a fashion NIGHTMARE from time to time and the stuff Jerry would wear is just crazy sometimes.

//The best episodes of Friends are as good or arguably better than Seinfeld. No single episode of Seinfeld is better than the one episode of Friends when they go to the beach and Ross's then-girlfriend shaves her head. That may be the same episode when Monica gets peed on for a jellyfish sting. Hilarious tv.

///both shows ended with shiatty finales, and Friends should have spun Chandler and Monica off into their own show. It would still be running, I'd wager. The Joey abortion was just stupid.

frepnog:litespeed74: I've honestly never seen an entire episode of Friends. It always seemed way to cutesy for me. Although everyone I know insists I go back and watch.

blah

it was never really "cutesy". it was on the whole standard sitcom stuff. Problems arise later when you can't just watch one episode here and there because of the ongoing story arcs, but the first few seasons are pretty much classic tv comedy. It also holds up visually better than say, Seinfeld, a show that while IS a show that you can watch just one episode from any season without worrying about ongoing arcs, sometimes looks as dated as an episode of 3's Company.

/love Seinfeld, but yes guys it DID date, sometimes horribly. Elaine is a fashion NIGHTMARE from time to time and the stuff Jerry would wear is just crazy sometimes.

//The best episodes of Friends are as good or arguably better than Seinfeld. No single episode of Seinfeld is better than the one episode of Friends when they go to the beach and Ross's then-girlfriend shaves her head. That may be the same episode when Monica gets peed on for a jellyfish sting. Hilarious tv.

///both shows ended with shiatty finales, and Friends should have spun Chandler and Monica off into their own show. It would still be running, I'd wager. The Joey abortion was just stupid.

Seinfeld's first season or two is very dated thanks to the fashion, but beyond the first couple seasons, it holds up pretty well.

I wonder how the younger generations who didn't grow up with the shows view them. A whole lot of the plots for Seinfeld don't even work if cell phones existed.

NeoCortex42:frepnog: litespeed74: I've honestly never seen an entire episode of Friends. It always seemed way to cutesy for me. Although everyone I know insists I go back and watch.

blah

it was never really "cutesy". it was on the whole standard sitcom stuff. Problems arise later when you can't just watch one episode here and there because of the ongoing story arcs, but the first few seasons are pretty much classic tv comedy. It also holds up visually better than say, Seinfeld, a show that while IS a show that you can watch just one episode from any season without worrying about ongoing arcs, sometimes looks as dated as an episode of 3's Company.

/love Seinfeld, but yes guys it DID date, sometimes horribly. Elaine is a fashion NIGHTMARE from time to time and the stuff Jerry would wear is just crazy sometimes.

//The best episodes of Friends are as good or arguably better than Seinfeld. No single episode of Seinfeld is better than the one episode of Friends when they go to the beach and Ross's then-girlfriend shaves her head. That may be the same episode when Monica gets peed on for a jellyfish sting. Hilarious tv.

///both shows ended with shiatty finales, and Friends should have spun Chandler and Monica off into their own show. It would still be running, I'd wager. The Joey abortion was just stupid.

Seinfeld's first season or two is very dated thanks to the fashion, but beyond the first couple seasons, it holds up pretty well.

I wonder how the younger generations who didn't grow up with the shows view them. A whole lot of the plots for Seinfeld don't even work if cell phones existed.

I am 40, my wife is 24.

She absolutely farking HATES Seinfeld. Near as I can tell, most of her friends do too. She likes Friends pretty well, but I think Scrubs is the show she REALLY likes.

I can watch Scrubs but just don't really care about it. The show is watchable and Dr. Cox is hilarious but on the whole? Meh.

She absolutely farking HATES Seinfeld. Near as I can tell, most of her friends do too. She likes Friends pretty well, but I think Scrubs is the show she REALLY likes.

I can watch Scrubs but just don't really care about it. The show is watchable and Dr. Cox is hilarious but on the whole? Meh.

Just out of curiosity, what's her opinion of It's Always Sunny? I know a few people that dislike Seinfeld because the main characters are not sympathetic and mostly just self-centered assholes. So it might not be that the show is dated, so much as the characters really turn some people off.

She absolutely farking HATES Seinfeld. Near as I can tell, most of her friends do too. She likes Friends pretty well, but I think Scrubs is the show she REALLY likes.

I can watch Scrubs but just don't really care about it. The show is watchable and Dr. Cox is hilarious but on the whole? Meh.

Just out of curiosity, what's her opinion of It's Always Sunny? I know a few people that dislike Seinfeld because the main characters are not sympathetic and mostly just self-centered assholes. So it might not be that the show is dated, so much as the characters really turn some people off.

we have never watched it, but I personally don't care for danny devito and usually avoid stuff he is in.

frepnog:NeoCortex42:Just out of curiosity, what's her opinion of It's Always Sunny? I know a few people that dislike Seinfeld because the main characters are not sympathetic and mostly just self-centered assholes. So it might not be that the show is dated, so much as the characters really turn some people off.

we have never watched it, but I personally don't care for danny devito and usually avoid stuff he is in.

NeoCortex42:frepnog: NeoCortex42:Just out of curiosity, what's her opinion of It's Always Sunny? I know a few people that dislike Seinfeld because the main characters are not sympathetic and mostly just self-centered assholes. So it might not be that the show is dated, so much as the characters really turn some people off.

we have never watched it, but I personally don't care for danny devito and usually avoid stuff he is in.

Fair enough. DeVito probably is the weakest part of the show.

devito is like that chick that plays river on doctor who. i love doctor who, but then they had to go and make that biatch a main character on the show.... so i rarely watch it any more. i just avoid shiat she is in. same with devito. it may be the best project ever assembled, but if devito is on board, i will pass.

NeoCortex42:frepnog: litespeed74: I've honestly never seen an entire episode of Friends. It always seemed way to cutesy for me. Although everyone I know insists I go back and watch.

blah

it was never really "cutesy". it was on the whole standard sitcom stuff. Problems arise later when you can't just watch one episode here and there because of the ongoing story arcs, but the first few seasons are pretty much classic tv comedy. It also holds up visually better than say, Seinfeld, a show that while IS a show that you can watch just one episode from any season without worrying about ongoing arcs, sometimes looks as dated as an episode of 3's Company.

/love Seinfeld, but yes guys it DID date, sometimes horribly. Elaine is a fashion NIGHTMARE from time to time and the stuff Jerry would wear is just crazy sometimes.

//The best episodes of Friends are as good or arguably better than Seinfeld. No single episode of Seinfeld is better than the one episode of Friends when they go to the beach and Ross's then-girlfriend shaves her head. That may be the same episode when Monica gets peed on for a jellyfish sting. Hilarious tv.

///both shows ended with shiatty finales, and Friends should have spun Chandler and Monica off into their own show. It would still be running, I'd wager. The Joey abortion was just stupid.

Seinfeld's first season or two is very dated thanks to the fashion, but beyond the first couple seasons, it holds up pretty well.

I wonder how the younger generations who didn't grow up with the shows view them. A whole lot of the plots for Seinfeld don't even work if cell phones existed.

Sounds like some of the 1st season of 24. No cell signal just outside of LA? Suspension of disbelief obliterated...

bill4935:a. Yes, the crystal duck scene was the funniest bit in the entire run.

b. No, their quirks were never subtle.

I was a big fan of the show and recently (while laid up after foot surgery) went back through and watched the entire run.

It's interesting across the first couple of shows where they're trying to "find" the characters. Some of the exchanges and verbal tendencies are mixed across characters (especially between Chandler and Joey), but by six episodes or so in the show settles into a really solid groove for about the next two to three seasons.

From the pilot through the end of the first season they realized that they didn't need to be gimmicky (the monkey) and the show jelled.

Through the course of the show there were good seasons and bad seasons, but overall I thought it held up fairly well. Yes, the characters do become overly-quirky towards the end, but they were partially that way at the beginning. Could they BE any more quirky?